Engine



March 19, 1935.

ENGINE Filed April 5, 1932 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

A. J. MEYER 1,994,528

Patented Mar. 19, 1935 Andre J. Meyer, Detroit, Mich assignor to Continental Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Virginia Application April 5, 1932, Serial No. 603,353

9 Claims. v (Cl. 123-81) This invention relates'to internal combustion engines and refers more particularly to engines of the sleeve valve type. In its more specific aspects my invention relates to improvements in driving mechanisms for single sleeve valve en ines of the combined reciprocating and oscillating type wherein any point on the sleeve-valve traces'a closed curve path with respect to the associated cylinder.

It is an object of my invention to provide improvements in the aforesaid type of sleeve drive especially adapted for use in connection with thewobble type of sleeve driving valve shaft.

A further object of my invention resides in the provision of an improved drive wherein the sleeve ball portion has its axis positioned at an angle with the plane perpendicular to the sleeve axis whereby the sleeve end of the sleeve driving link is caused to oscillate about substantially the center of the ball portion for substantially the same amount as it moves toward and from the sleeve. By reason of such construction Iam enabled to fully utilize the area of the ball portion surface and the ball portions may therefore be made smaller than heretofore so as to lighten the weight of this reciprocating part.

A further object of my invention resides in the provision of a sleeve driving mechanism wherein the sleeve link operated by the wobble crank is substantially straight without bending action, resulting in a stronger, lighter, and more compact structure and assembly.

A further object of my invention in one embodiment thereof resides in providing an improved sleeve driving arrangement and structure for engines having V-arranged cylinders.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent as this specification progresses, reference being had to the accompanying drawing illustrating one embodiment thereof, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation view through an engine illustrating my invention,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation view of one of the sleeve valves and improved driving mechanism,

Fig. 3 is a detail view along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 showing the connection for the ball por tion and sleeve valve, 7

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the sleeve link in its'oppo'site positions of movement and in the co-planar position with the ball portion of the sleeve valve, and

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevational view of a typi-' cal single cylinder of an in line engine and illustrating my improved driving connection.

Referring to the drawing, engine A is provided with one or more cylinders 10 and in the illustration I have shown my invention in connection with an engine ofrthe V-type although my invention in its broader aspects is not limited to 5 this type of engine or to any particular arrangement of cylinder grouping.

Associated with each cylinder 10 is a sleeve valve 11 and operating within the sleeve, valve is the usual piston 12 actuating crankshaft 13 10 by reason of connecting rod 14. In the V-type of engine it is customary to actuate one of the pistons by reason of a rod 15 articulating at16 with the connecting rod 14. Each of the sleeve valves 11 is adapted to be actuated as aforesaid by a valve shaft 1'? positioned in crankcase 18, the valve shaft having a plurality of pairs of ball portions 19 associated with each'sleeve valve, each pair forming a wobble crank for moving the sleeve valve through the intermediary of a sleeve link or wobble link 20. This link constitutes a three point actuating device, two'of which points are in the nature of socket portions 21 engageable with the associated ball portions 19 and the third point is formed with a socket portion 22 engaging with the ball portion 23 of the sleeve driving lug 24. It will be noted that the axis X-X of the'ball portion 23 and the lug 24 extends at an anglewith a plane perpendicular to thesleeve axis and the axis X-X and preferably extends downwardly and inwardly toward the lower portion of sleeve 11. The lug 24 has a stem 25 positioned within the cylindrical'opening 26 of the sleeve valve and is fixed in position by any suitablemeans such as by a rivet 27 best shown inFig. 3. The link 20 extends substantially in a plane between the wobble crank and sleeve ball whereby it is substantially free from bending tendencies since all of the force transmitted through the link is direct tension or compression 40 in the link itself. Heretofore it has been found necessary to provide a bend along the longitudinal length of the link with a resulting bending moment longitudinally of the link; This has rangement of link, valve shaft, and sleeve ball 55 construction. Thus I am gine generally illustrated in Fig'. l.

tioned at an angle with a plane the sleeve axis, a valveshaft position indicated by 20 represents theaforesaid co-planar relationship, the link position 20 indicating the extreme movement of the link toward the sleeve valve and the position 20 rep resenting the extreme opposite movementaway from the sleeve valve. be noted that substantially the same amount of area of the ball portion 23is exposed during these opposite movements of the link and this results in providing a more efficient ball and socket enabled to'use effectively the whole oithe ball portion surface so as to further reduce the weight of these reciprocating parts, provide-a more compact construction, and facilitate lubrication the oily mist'in crankcase 18 for substantially equal amounts in its opposite'directions of swing.

In one specific adaptation of my invention I have'provided improvements in the V-type en-' Thus it will be noted that the links 20 extend substantially vertically while the ball portions 23 have their axes XX positioned substantially horizontally with reference to the position of the engine as illustrated. This provides for a very compact and lightweight engine and alsoincorporates the improvements aforesaid in'reference to the particular arrangement of sleeve driving parts.

As an illustration of furtherapplications of my invention I have illustrated in outline form in Fig. 5 the application of myimproved sleeve driving mechanism in connection'with an engine.

of the type having cylinders inline, Fig. 5 illustrating atypical cylinder and associated sleeve driving mechanism. In this View the parts 'referred to'above are given similar reference characters inasmuch as they areconstructed as previously described and inasmuch astheir operation and advantages are also similar. Y

Various modifications and changes'will be ap-- parent from my'disclosure and it is not my intention to limit my invention to the particular 'form" and construction of parts illustrated in detail;

What I claim as my invention is: v1.:In an engine, a sleeve valve, a ball portion carriedby the sleeve and having its'axis positioned at an angle with'a'pla'ne perpendicular to the sleeve axis, a valveshaft crank. and ball. portion, said-wobble link having asocket engaging the ball portion. I 1

2. In an engine, a sleeve valve, a ball portion carried by thesleeve'and having its axis posiperpendicular to having a wobble crank, and'a wobble link intermediate the wobble crank. and ball portion; said wobble link having a socket engaging the ball portion, and being adapted to oscillate about the center ofthe ball .encies in the link. From these views it willofthe ball and socket joint as the ball portion areas are exposed to havinga wobble crank,.and a wobble link intermediate the wobbleportion for substantially the same amount toward and from the sleeve relative to a co-planar posif tion of said socket and ball portion. I

3. In an engine, a sleeve valve, a ball portion carried by the sleeve and having its axis positioned atan angle with a'plane perpendicular to the sleeve axis, a valveshaft having a wobble. crank, andawobblelink intermediate the wobblecrankand ball portion, said Wobble link haying a socket engaging the ball portion, said wobble link lying substantially i a plane between the ball portion and wobble crank whereby to. operate the sleeve valve substantially without bending tend- 4. In an engine, a sleeve valve, a ball portion carried by the sleeve and having its axis positioned at an anglewith a plane perpendicular to the sleeve axis, a' valveshaft having ;a wobble crank, and a wobble link intermediate the wobble crank and ball portion, said wobble linkv having a socket engaging the ball portiom. and being adapted-to oscillate about the center of .thev ba11 portion for substantially the same amountrtoward and from the sleeverelative toa co-. plana'.r position of said socket and ballxportio v wobble link lying substantially in a planebetweemf; the ball portion and wobble crank 'whereby to operate the sleeve valve substantially without bending tendencies in the link;

5. In an engine, a sleeve valve, aball portion 30 1*? necting the valveshaft and lug.;=-'*

;7. In an engine of the sleeve lvalve 'type,.l.a,--;

valveshaft, a sleeve; driving lug, having its 'axis' 455 l positioned at anangle with a planeperpendicularz g to the sleeve axis, and sleevedriving means con.-

necting the valveshaft and lug,said lugextending downwardly and inwardly toward the innerlipor-ix tion of the, sleeve. l 8. In an engine having cylinders of the vtype, .s

a sleeve valve associated witheach of they-are; v f

ranged cylinders, a valveshaft for drivingseachv of said sleeve valves, a linkin the drive betweenai 7 each valveshaft and sleeve valveextending sub-4 5 stantially vertically of a I plane;containing. the;ag axes of said valveshafts, anda sleeve drivinglug between eachlink and associated; sleeve valvev ext. tending substantially parallel:to said plane;

9. In an engine having cylinders of'theiV-type ;a sleeve valve associated with each of .the

ear w ranged cylinders, a pair of'valveshaftseach have ing a wobble crank for respectivelydriving,said';, sleeve valves, a wobblelink in .thedrive between each wobble crank and sleeve valve extendinggggit substantially vertically;

n l v d nei u g link and the associated-=5 substantiallyhorizontall ANDB.E"JQ

between each wobble sleeve valve extending wobble link ihaving iiggys I 

